This Is The Only Level

REVIEW - This Is The Only Level

http://armorgames.com/play/4309/this-is-the-only-level
created by jmtb02

Wed, 13th Jan 2010

As the title suggests, this game consists of only one level (the elephant has forgotten the rest of the levels). The entire game, played 30 times over the same level, may sound boring. However, this opens up the creative palette of the game designer, who has managed to bring us 30 levels of fun.

This game barely lasts 10 minutes, but every second spent was quite pleasurable. The rules are simple: the player controls an elephant that has to jump up a few blocks (a la Super Mario Bros), push a red button that opens a gate, and pass through that gate to enter a pipe that also oddly resembles that from the Super Mario Bros, all the while trying not to land on spikes which kill the elephant. There are no death limit, and players can take their time figuring out how to beat each level. However, the constant presence of a large timer ticking away pushes the player psychologically to complete each stage as fast as possible. Visually and aurally, the game is simple. Which is a good thing. The player tend focuses on the gameplay rather than be enthralled by the graphics and music. But of course, the overall game feel would have been better with a tee wee graphic enhancement.

Most levels are completed via different methods, from changing the peripheral used (keyboard to mouse) to reversing the controls. Players are not told the way to complete the level, but a tiny, cryptic clue written at the corner of the screen gives the player enough hint to keep him occupied for a couple minutes. Personally, this is interesting because the player is left to experiment on his own to find out the way to complete the level. That introduces the element of exploration and chance to the game, which allows the player the freedom to find the key to unlocking the puzzle of every level. And the player will gladly do so, as there is no punishment for death, only a quick respawn.

However, after a single walkthrough, we cannot help but sense that the creative juices of the game designer were squeezed dry. There were a few levels that technically had the same 'level' design save for a couple tweaks . There was a level where the screen was entirely white, preventing you from knowing where the traps are, and a similar level later on the game, except that now it was all blacked-out. There was also no progression in difficulty. Level 26 could be as easy as level 1, and level 5 could be as tough as level 24. The lack of difficulty progression prevents the player from feeling a sense of accomplishment as the game progresses, and puzzled as a particular level was too much easier than the previous one.

All in all, this game has showed and reiterated what was taught during lesson today: that the rules and level design need not be too complex, and how players attempt to stretch the rules of a game. Also, the creative process behind a simple game that looks simple, may not be so simple after all, but I am told not to tell you any more than that. The elephant says so.

- Timothy Tan Jiat Meng